The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-17
The Disaster at Kouts.

cpeclai TO the lnulanaoon5 journal
HUNTINGTON, Ind, Oct. 15.-The Herald
prints the following THE coroners verdict as
to the responsibility for the Kouts wreck on the
G. 81 A. railroad has bsen made public. Train
dispatcher Ziesel. engineer Dorsey and the gen.
erai MANAGEMENT of the company are censured.
The verdict is largely unjust. The wreck is due
to causes which are not even limited at Arbi-
trary orders to the tralr-dispatcher and short
sighted economy on the part of the management
are the primary causes of the disaster. For in
stance, engineer Dorsey is charged with negl-
gence in not having sand for his engine. when
the fact was four buckets of sand was all the COM
pany could furnish him before leaving Chicago!
AS for Mr. Ziesel, he is a thoroughly competent
train dispatcher. Whatever errors are alleged
against him are due to the system OF railroadipg
which he is obliged to follow. 1t is very evil
dent that the attorney of the onpany, who was
with the coroner helping him conduct the inves-
tigatiop, which was secretly carried on under
locked doors in the Office Of the assistant super
intendent in this city, managed the inquiry, and
was largely instrumental in making up the YER
dict.
''Train- dispatcher Ziesel was interviewed this
morning by the Herald. His surprise that he
should be held responsible for the wreck was
very great. as he had no intimation from any
source that he was blamed in any manner. He
had not even been examined by the coroner
when he made the alleged investigation IN this
city, which fact itself has a very unfair look.
1t is the duty of the train dispatcher to look
after the front end OF the trains alone. Every
train is supplied with signals. torpedoes. flags.
etc, and all train men understand that they
responsible for the end of their trains.
Train dspatchers on the e. & A have verbal
orders to block passenger trains. but no orders
to block freight trains. There was eleven min
utes difference in passing Boone Grove between
passenger train No. IL and freight train No.
48. Frequently trains were sent out on
the road less than ten minutes apart, with no
intervening station, trainmen understanding
that they must protect the rear-end OF the train
in case of emergency. Dispatchers had orders
that As 1.-THE freight) must not be delayed. As
to the broken eccentric strap. such mishaps
were not of uncomm On occurrence, and the
locomotive should have made nearly as good
time as when both eccentrics were in good
order. Under the rules of the company for run
ming trains, which are in printed form, Mr..
Ziesel feels that he did his whole duty. and that
a vast injustice is done him by making it appear
that he was responsible in any degaee for the
disaster"
The Herald prints the following card:
II have this day resigned my position as one
of the surgeons Of the Chicago 81 Atlantic rail-
way at this place, and in doing my sympathy
goes with those who still remain in the employe
of that corporation. 1 was badly injured in the
others, was taken to the depot and telegraph
station at Kouts, where we tried to relieve our
friends of their suspense and anxiety by tele
graph. but owing to the strict orders from head
crafty even this small favor. 1t shows the
lack of humanity and heartlessness,
even courtesy, of the managers of
the road. The fact that engineers are being
road, and only partially equipped. was the
case with several locomotives on the night of
the accident. the engine men of which sought
and were refused supply of sand before leav-
ing Chicago-engneers Dorsey and Wyman
were both hindered in stopping their trains be-
cause of lack of SANDAL of which points to the
fact that there is a good deal of incautious work
about the stingy and penurlous headquarters.
/, therefore, am glad to sever my relations with
such inhuman management.
CHARLES L. WRIGHT, M. D."